Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/132

 BRIEN BOIRUMHE 121 five different rencontres, and twenty-nine pitched battles, did he engage his Danish and other enemies, and victory always attended his standard! But if he was terrible to his enemies in the field, he was mild and merciful to them in the cabinet, and, during his whole reign, a single act of cruelty or injustice cannot be laid to his charge." We intended here to bave concluded this sketch of Brien, but the following poetic effusion from the pen of Moore claimed its insertion:- I. Remember the glories of Brien the brave, Though lost to Mononia ",and cold in the grave, That star of the field, which so often has pour'd But enough of its glory remains on each sword, Though the days of the hero are o'er, He returns to Kinkora t no more! Its beam on the battle is set, To light us to victory yet. Mononia! when nature embellish'd the tint Did she ever intend that a tyrant should print No, freedom whose smile we shall never resign, That'tis sweeter to bleed for an age at thy shrine, Of thy fields, and thy mountains so fair, The footstep of slavery there? Go, tell our invaders the Danes Than to sleep but a moment in chains. Forget not our wounded companions t, who stood While the moss of the valley grew red with their blood, The sun, that now blesses or arms with his light, Oh! let him not blush, when he leaves us to night, In the day of distress by our side, They stirr'd not, but conqaer'd and died Saw them fall upon Ossory's plain To find that they fell there in vain! . Munster The palace of Brien.
 * This alludes to an interesting eircumstance related of the Dalgais,

the favourite troops of Brien, when they were interrupted in their return from the battle of Clontarf, by Fitzpatrick Prince of Ossory. The wounded men entreated that they might be allowed to fight with the rest: "Let